Do you feel as if you do not deserve your wins? Do you think of yourself as a fraud, who gets their achievements through luck, no matter how hard you worked? Are you hard on yourself on every tiny mistake that you make, neglecting the other things you do right?
Is criticism hard for you to face? Are you not convinced of your credibility, talent, and work yourself? Do you feel as if you do not belong at your workplace or college, simply because everyone else is so talented?
And most of all, do you fear that people will figure out that you are a sham, having no real talent whatsoever?
If the answer to most of these questions is in affirmative, you might be suffering from imposter syndrome, but of course, you might also consult a mental health expert at Reliance Hospital for proper diagnosis.
In this syndrome, people think of themselves as phony, not accepting their talent and wins. There are various causes of imposter syndrome and can afflict anyone.
Living with IS is not easy; it’s good neither for the mental nor the physical health. Hence, it is important to take steps to remedy this condition. Some helpful things to do include:
Be kinder to yourself
People who have imposter syndrome often have superhuman expectations of themselves. It is therefore important for you to be kinder to yourself. There is no reason why you should never falter; that’s just too much to ask of yourself.
Comparison needs to end
No matter what the world tells you, you are not in a race with another person. Just because someone is seemingly ahead of you does not mean that you are a loser. Everyone has their own learning curve, and you need to stop beating yourself over it.
Don’t let it hold you back
Even if you are experiencing IS, you should not let is stop you from dreaming big and achieving your goals.
Feelings are not set in stone
Just because you feel a certain way does not mean that it is in fact true. For example, just because you made a mistake does not mean that you are incompetent.
Give yourself a reward
Every time you are able to deliver, you should reward yourself for a job well done. This serves to validate, yourself, which is important when it comes to imposter syndrome.
Response to failure
You learn only when you make a mistake. Your brain becomes more attentive once it knows if has faltered. So, whenever you make a mistake, are unable to achieve your goals or have failed at something, rather than being hard on yourself, take it as a moment of growth.
When you have this healthy response to failure, your overall perception of yourself and mistakes also improves.
Talk it out
Sometimes, talking helps. When you share your feelings with other people, they can offer you perspective. They can quell your fears. Moreover, talking also helps in acknowledging the fact that you have issues with regard to your stature in life, and that is not because you are a failure, but because you have imposter syndrome.
Write your achievements down
You might be in a habit of downplaying your achievements when you think of them, but perhaps it’s time you write them down. When you start to enlist your wins, you realize how far you have come along, and it cannot be solely because of luck.
Seeing your accomplishments in writing also helps you recognize your talents, and be proud of yourself, rather than feeling like a fraud.
Visit an expert
If you are unable to get better, despite doing all the above steps, perhaps you should get help from a medical expert like a Psychiatrist in Islamabad. Imposter syndrome not only prevents mental growth but also leads to problems like anxiety. Hence, it needs to be addressed.